Art of engraving



(No Model.) v 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

W. S. EATON. ART OF'ENGRAVING.

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' (No Model.) '2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

W. s. EATON.

ART 0]? ENGRAVING.

N0. 5' 7'3 967 Patented Dec. 29, 1896.

@ew mgeawaw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

WILLIAM s. EATON, oFfsAe HARBOR, NEW YORK.

ART OF ENGRAVING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,967, dated December29, 1896. Application filed January 9, 1896. Serial No. 5%,894. (Nospecimens.)

To all whom, it may concern:

.Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. EATON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sag Harbor, in the county of Suifolk and State of New York.have invented certain new and use-,

been attained only by more expensive syshigh degree of skill required,Whether such engraving had for its ultimate object the production of aplate for printing purposes or the ornamentation of some article ofjewelry, as, for instance, watchcases. To overcome this obstacle,machines were devised operating on the well-known principle of thepantograph and with the subject to be made usually engraved on a largescale by a skilful artist, this large-scale plate serving as anoriginal, the lines of which were followed by the tracing-point of thepantograph, and the work produced upon a smaller scale by a steel graversubstituted for the pencil-point in the pantograph operating upon thework to be engraved. In practice, however, it was found that the work soproduced was lacking in certain essential features, the resulting plate,when used for printing purposes, giving a more or less uniform effect ofcolor. Deep shades were found to be lacking, and it was obvious that inorder to properly bring out the effect cross-hatching must be resortedto. In attempting to cross the lines on the original model or large-sizeplate it was found that such cross-hatching thereon nearly obliteratedthe lines first engraved, and, moreover, the operator found that thelines were with great difficulty followed with the tracing-point, thetracer being often diverted from its course by the intersecting andcostly, and it was found that to attain any-degree of success the lineson the model and use these stencils in combination with a lined plateplaced beneath the stencil, and then transfer so much of the lines fromthe lined plate as may appear through the stencil. In some special casesI use two or more stencils, and when the design has been engravedthrough the said stencils I finish the work with one engraved plate,which leaves the work in such an advanced stage that nothing more isnecessary save a few hand cuts known to the trade as bright-cutting.This affords a method superior to anything at present known in the artand makes pnssible results not heretofore attained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a stencilplate, and Fig. 1, the resultof its use. Figs. 2 and 2 are like views of a second stencilplat-e. Fig.3 is a view of an engraved plate, and Fig. 3 the result of the use ofthe stencil and engraved plate; Fig. 4 shows the lined plate. Fig. 5shows the application of the invention in a conventional way.

In carrying out my invention I arrange my lined plate in or on the bedof the machine and so adjust it that it is circumferentially adjustableon avertical axis. Fig. t shows the lined plate, and B shows a thumb-nutdesigned to secure the plate in position and keep it from turning whilebeing operated upon, though any other convenient method of securing itmay be used. The first step, therefore, in working by this method is toplace upon the lined plate, Fig. 4, the stencil-plate, Fig. 1, and thenadjust the lined plate, Fig. 4, until the direction of the lines thereoncoincides with the arrow B B. The engraving is then proceeded with untilall the lines appearing through the stencil have been transferred to thearticle to be decorated, which, as shown in Fig. 5 at A, is positionedbeneaththe gravel E of a pan tograph D. The lines on the stencil arefollowed by the tracing-point F and the same figure is reproduced(usually on a smaller scale) by the graver-point E. There sult of suchengraving will appear as in Fig.

1-, when the stencil shown in Fig. l is used on the lined plate. Thefirst stencil-plate is now removed and stencil-plate, Fig. 2, isillserted as before. The lined plate is again turned until the linesthereon coincide with the arrow 0 O, and the operation is repeated asbefore. The result of this second engraving will appear as in Fig. 2*,but superimposed on the lines of the preceding operation, therebysupplying some of the shadows and darkest parts of the design. Thesecond stencil is now removed and the engraved plate, Fig. 3, isinserted in the machine, and all the lines thereon are transferred tothe work, when the result will appear as in Fig. 3.

Any number of stencil-plates may be used,

as the nature of the work warrants; but a special advantage of thisstencil system lies in the fact that where deep shadows are re quired inthe finished work the result may be had without making a large number ofsten cil-plates, but by simply turning the lined plate so that the linesrun in a slightlyedifferent direction and using the same stencil asbefore. This may be continued until sufficient depth has been obtained.

In practice I prefer to make the lined plate about the same size as thestencil and engraved plates, and the lines thereon I prefer to producein any machine capable of producing straight lines of substantiallyuniform depth, as, for instance, aplaning-machine. It is preferable alsoto make the lined plate of brass'or other reasonably-hard metal and thestencil-plates of sheet-Zinc. The engraved plate used in the lastoperation may be of any of the'metals or materials nowin use inconnection with engraving-machines for engravmg.

I have spoken of the engraved plate being last used. \Vhile in general Iprefer to do so, it is not essential to the success of my method, sinceit may be used first or second with good results. I have simplyindicated the plates in the order mentioned for convenience in makingclearmy method.

The result of the use of the stencil and engraved plates shown in Figs.1 2, and 3 will be in general on a smaller scale than the originalstencil and engraved plates, but I have shown the work drawn to the samescale, since such a size makes the method more clear.

Excellent results may be obtained by my method by engraving the firstseries of lines through the stencil somewhat lighter than the succeedingset and the second set somewhat lighter than the engraved plate, butheavier than the first,when three is the number used. IVhen the work isthus proceeded with, making the engraving as it advances progressivelyheavier and consequently darker, the result in general will be betterthan when all the sets of lines are of uniform depth.

In order that all the sets of lines as transferred shall registerproperly and fit into their proper places, I lay out my stencils andengravedplates from the center of the plate and a vertical line used asa guide, and in order'to have each stencil register properly with thepreceding one I provide a notch or indentation in the edge of theplates, (shown at X, Fi g. 1.) All the plates are thus notched. Thenotch fits a pin a in the bed of the machine, so that when inserting afresh stencil or engraved plate the work will come right without furthertrouble. The openings in the stencil also form a boundary beyond whichthe tracing-point cannot go, thus being a check against carelessness inthe operator.

The drawings accompanying this specification show a house and castle,but it is obvious that the method is not limited to work of the kindshown. In floral work, for instance, excellent results maybe produced bycutting out the body of the flower in the stencil, lining as alreadydescribed, and then putting in the veins in the petals from anotherlate.

I claim- 1. An improvement in the art of engraving consisting in takinga plate having lines upon its surface, placing a stencil over said linedplate and transferring by means of a pantograph-engraver the linesexposed through the stencil and finishing the work by the use of anengraved plate, substantially as described.

2. An improvement in the art of engraving, consisting in taking a platehaving lines upon its surface, placing a stencil over said lined plateand transferring the lines exposed through the stencil; removing thefirst stencil and placing over the lined plate a second stencil andagain transferring the exposed lines, superimposing the same on thelines of the preceding transfer to supply shadows and dark parts, andfinally removing the second stencil and finishing by the use of anengraved plate, substantially as described.

3. An improvement in the art of engraving consisting in transferring apart of the lines from a lined plate through stencils and a part from anengraved plate, substantially as described.

at. An improvement in the art of engraving, consisting in taking a linedplate, placing thereon a stencil, transferring the exposed lines to thearticle being decorated, shifting the lined plate and again transferringthe ex- .posed lines to the article, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a pantograph-ma chine, a lined plate and astencil-plate superimposed on the lined plate, the exposed linesbeingtransferred by the pantograph, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM S. EATON.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK A. GAY, Jr., FRANK B. GLovER.

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